Wess and Lillian are a husband and wife duo who, combined, have dedicated more than 70 years of volunteering in their community.
The pair is best known for their work at their local legion and there is no mistaking the popularity of the couple at the Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 47, near St. Peter’s, N.S.
“Wess and Lillian Peeples are the heart and soul of Branch 47,” says branch president Jack Hopkins.
Wess and Lillian are both veterans. Wess served more than 20 years in the Royal Canadian Air Force, while Lillian served two.
The couple has been members of the legion since 1978. Wess once served as branch president, while Lillian is a driving force in the ladies’ auxiliary.
Now in their retirement years, the pair has not stopped. In fact, their schedules have been as busy as ever.
“You’re not sitting in a rocking chair, you’re out doing things, meeting people, this is what we enjoy,” says Lillian.
The Peeples were instrumental in coordinating major renovations at Branch 47, completed just this winter.
The work took three years, with an estimated $250,000 worth of volunteer labour, work the branch would have had to pay for, had it not been for the Peeples skills in recruiting and organizing.
“They don’t look for recognition, they do the job, then walk away. It takes people like us to recognize what they do,” says legion member George McPhee.
Their work isn’t limited to the legion, the Peeples also put in countless hours at their church and Wess was a volunteer firefighter for more than two decades.
“They’re very hard workers,” says church elder David Gunn. “They’re totally dependable, always there and they’re fun to work with. That’s really the thing I think is most important.”
The Peeples say they find volunteer work very rewarding. It allows them to make new friends and spend time with each other.
“She’s my driving force, after 55 years of marriage,” says Wess.
Congratulations to Wess and Lillian Peeples, our Maritimers of the Week!
If you know someone deserving of our Maritimer of the Week award, we want to hear about it.
It doesn’t matter how old they are, the nature of the good deed they’ve done, or what part of the region they live in – we want your ideas!
Please send your nomination to:
maritimer@ctv.ca
or
Maritimer of the Week
P.O. Box 1653
Halifax, N.S.
B3J 2Z4
